The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) is facing fierce backlash from Parliament over massive wasteful spending, and questionable procurement decisions; including the controversial printing of nearly one million French textbooks, most of which have gone unused.
Appearing before the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance, chaired by Hon. Thuddeus Nzambia (Kilome), KICD officials struggled to justify how schools for the deaf and blind in Kwale and Likoni received French textbooks — a subject offered in only a handful of schools nationwide.
Lawmakers termed it a “textbook blunder”, accusing the institute of failing to conduct a proper needs assessment before awarding the printing contract.
The institution was outed by the Auditor General, in a report which revealed further damning findings.
Schools in Bungoma and Nakuru received key learning materials two terms late, leaving learners without books or teachers’ guides.
In another red flag, Sh740 million was reportedly paid to a contractor for a stalled Education Resource Centre at KICD’s Nairobi headquarters. The project, meant to end in 2015, remains incomplete over a decade later.
Worse still, KICD is accused of breaching finance laws by directly receiving Sh44 million from donors, bypassing the National Treasury.
It also overspent Sh185 million on two education projects without disclosure of where the extra funds came from — or approval to reallocate them.
MPs have now demanded a follow-up session with the Ministry of Education, calling for urgent action, transparency, and a total overhaul of curriculum planning and financial accountability at KICD.
